An eLearning Language Appliance to develop the Writing Skill

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An eLearning Language Appliance to develop the
Writing Skill
BALEAP PIM, 2004 Oxford, UK. 28 Feb, 2004
Pedro Pablo Sánchez Villalón Manuel Ortega
Asunción Sánchez Villalón
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Contents

• Introduction
• EC Directives
• Conventional Learning
• CALL LMS
• Objectives Proposal (TELL)
• Evolution to the AULA System
• Methodology Collaborative Writing Process
• eLearning Scenarios Skill-based Writing Tasks
• Contribution to Blended Learning

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IntroductionEuropean Community Directives

• EC Directives about Language Learning ICT
• Language Learning as preparation for the active
  use of language for communication
• e-Learning Initiative developing skills such as
  the ability to communicate, to work in group, and
  to make use of the new technologies for all
  this.

• Ability to Communicate
• Skill-based Information Exchange
• Work in group
• Communication through Collaboration
• Use of ICT
• Technology-Enhanced Language Learning

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Conventional Learning Environments

• Active Skills in Conventional Language Learning
• Speaking
• Face-to-face Communication
• (Pair work, conversations)
• Writing
• Writing exams, exercises, letters (rarely)
• no interactive activities

• Conventional Learning Environment
• Inside the Classroom,
• Books (textbooks, workbooks, notebooks)
• Blackboard
• Pen paper
• Limited access to information
• Face to face communication
• No technology - only audio

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Adaptation to CALL LMS

• Learning Management Systems
• eLearning environments
• Web-based LMS
• BlackBoard WebCT
• Content and Resources online for distance
  education
• Shared space for communication (Chat, email,
  discussion lists, )
• A repository of content resources, easy access
  to information.
• Not synchronous activities
• Not collaborative writing

• Computer-based(CALL) environment
• ComputerLabs full of PCs (Hardware)
• Delivery of contents (Software CDRom)
• Printed Digitized
• material Activities
• Grammar Drill exercises (repetition)
• and practice tutorials
• Improvements Self-assessment
• Access to Information
• Interaction only with the computer
• Not active use for communication
• in Writing Speaking

• Computers technologically support the language
  learning process
• Result No communication in real time, students
  work in isolation

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Objectives Proposal Technology-Enhanced
Language eLearning

• TELL eLearning Interaction
• Web-based tools (Technology) for access to
  information communication
• Integrated methodology
• (ICT Language Integration)
• Writing for Communication in Collaboration
  (technique)
• Writing on the Web
• Writing as Communication (process)
• Writing to Communicate (task)

• TELL eLearning environment
• enabling Blended Learning
• communication anywhere (M-Learning).
• communication in real time at any time
• pervasive access (Ubiquity)
• to the system,
• to information
• to ICT tools
• electronic Whiteboard,
• e-notebooks, the Web

• Objective meeting the new needs and
  possibilities of the Information Society, from
  school to university workplace to life-long
  learning
• Learning by communicating easily actively
  anywhere anytime.

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Classroom Evolution

• Conventional Classroom
• Blackboard
• Books
• Pen paper

• Ubiquitous Classroom (TELL)
• Whiteboards
• Mimio WhiteBoard.
• Connections
• Wireless Connection to the Internet
• RF (IEEE 802.11b, 11 Mbps)
• A Web-based Server.
• Computing devices
• Laptop, PDA o Tablet PC.

• Computers Language Lab (CALL)
• Whiteboard
• Whiteboard or
• Screen with Projector.
• Connections
• LANs with an Internet connection
• A Intranet Server.
• Computing devices
• Desktop PCs

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AULA Foundations

• Web-based learning by communicating
• by collaboratively writing in a ubiquitous
  environment.
• AULA (A Ubiquitous Language Appliance)
  Infrastructure
• Small devices spread over the classroom at
  home/work
• TELL environment enabling Blended Learning
• Accessible in class, from work, anywhere anytime
• Active Skill Individual/Collaborative Writing on
  the Web
• Sample Scenario The AULA New Technologies
  Assignment
• Activity Writing a text to explain the impact of
  ICT.
• Pedagogical innovation Writing evolves from an
  evaluation technique to an authentic
  communicative learning technique based on a
  social activity (Scenario-based Writing).

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Methodology (I) Collaborative writing process

• Planning (1st stage)
• The teacher establishes the task as a Scenario
  an online newspaper, a project report
• The students / participants propose titles for
  the texts
• They generate ideas by brainstorming or
  freewriting
• They outline organize

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Methodology (II) Collaborative writing process.

• Development (2nd stage)
• Discussion session on notes (ideas) with
  communication tool
• the Chat facility
• Writing the notes into sentences organizing
  them into paragraphs with language tools
• Lexical tools
• (Dictionaries and Lexicon).
• An image searcher (Google).
• Access to information online

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Methodology (III) Collaborative writing process.

• Edition (3rd stage)
• Revision and final edition.
• Collaborative correction.
• Using both chat language tools
• Teachers assessment
• Analysis of students trace file
• Analysis of the chat file of every text.
• Easy checking for plagiarism or
• for cheating

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eLearning Scenarios Skill-based Writing Tasks

• Developing the writing skill
• to achieve authentic tasks
• scenario-based communication
• with a purpose,
• for an audience,
• in a possibly real context.

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User InterfaceScenario New Technologies
Figure 3
List of Scenario Items and Content available
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User InterfaceThe Reading Area
The Reading Workspace with Scenario Assignment
(right)
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User InterfaceThe Writing Area
The Writing Workspace and the Chat facility
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User InterfaceWhiteBoard Screen
The WhiteBoard, updatable
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User InterfaceThe ICT Tools Area
Language Tool (Lexicon) Communication Tool
(Chat) Help Content
Adaptable to other languages Adaptable to other
dictionaries local,internal/external Web-based
Synchronous Asynchronous
HTML text files
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Contributions to Blended Learning

• Learning a language through Communication by
  Writing on the Web
• In an apparently conventional classroom
• Taking notes and writing in their electronic
  notebooks
• Paying attention to the WhiteBoard and to the
  teacher
• Evolving to a collaborative ubiquitous classroom
• Everything (technology, information
  communication tools) is accessible from anywhere
  at any time (with an Internet Connection)
• adapting the ICT to the classroom
• Facilitating the Collaborative Writing Process
• Scenario-based eLearning

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An eLearning Language Appliance to develop the
Writing Skill
Pedro P. Sánchez Villalón ppsanch_at_fimo-cr.uclm.es
Manuel Ortega Manuel.Ortega_at_uclm.es Asuncion
Sánchez Villalón http//chico.inf-cr.uclm.es/ppsv
/aula.html